Breakfast trade boosts Starbucks UK sales

Starbucks is looking to boost its sweet and savoury offering after its new breakfast range swelled year-on-year morning sales in the UK by 50% in June.

The international coffee giant disclosed how successful the range had been when it reported third-quarter global revenues up 12% to $2.9bn (£1.8bn) on Friday.

The breakfast products, launched in spring, include a bacon sandwich, American pancakes, plain natural yogurt, a sausage sandwich and a cheese and mushroom croissant.

A spokeswoman confirmed: “We are constantly looking at our food offering across sweet and savoury and looking at ways to improve and expand it to meet customer needs. We will probably add to the range.”

Starbucks UK said the breakfast range, along with cost efficiencies and expansion, helped notch up an eighth consecutive quarter of same-outlet sales growth – defying tough trading conditions on the high street.

Darcy Willson-Rymer, Starbucks UK & Ireland managing director, said: “We are very encouraged by continuing sales growth and how well customers have received our new breakfast range despite trading conditions in the UK remaining tough, especially with increasing fuel and food bills.”

Starbucks’ new Petites range, which includes cake pops, whoopee pies and white chocolate and raspberry sponge cake, has also proved popular in the 750 UK outlets.

However, the company would not confirm whether the new Bistro Boxes available in the US – a range of salads and cheese boards – would be launched in the UK.

Starbucks reported a 5% increase in sales outside the US in the third quarter and “healthy” single-digit growth.

The company expects to add about 600 net new stores in 2012, with about 100 in the US and 500 in international markets, including the UK.

A spokeswoman said there would be “a couple of dozen at most” opening in the UK next year.